Pipe-wrench.



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(Application led Mar. 31, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l,

(No Model.)

a Z a No. 633,709. Patented sept; 26, |899.

w. vANnEnMAN.

PIPE WRENCH.

(Application led Mar. 31, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m IM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM VANDERMAN, OF IVILLIMANTIC, CONNECTICUT.

PIPE-WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,709, dated September 26, 1899.

Application filed March 31, 1899. Serial No. 711,243. (No model.)V

To all whom t may con/cern.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM VANDEEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in iVillimantic, in the county of Windham and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Wreu ches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pipe-wrenches, and has for its object the provision of a tool of the character specified by which pipse may be manipulated without subjecting them to the marring action of the ordinary jawteeth or serrations and whereby a firm grip on the pipe may be obtained without rendering the same liable to be crushed or jammed, so that thin pipes may be operated upon with the same facility as those of greater strength or thickness.

Vith this object in view my improved pipewrench embodies a pair of jaws having their engaging surfaces shaped in conformity with the surface of the pipe and in such a manner that when said jaws are brought into Contact with said pipe such contact will extend for nearly the entire periphery, and in order to adapt the wrench to pipes of different diameters I provide means whereby the same may be applied to a number of standard sizes, as will be hereinafter described and as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of a pipewrench embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a block employed in connection with my improved wrench. Fig. 4 is a side view of a modification. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5, Fig. 1I. Fig. 6 is a perspective 'view of a half-bushing used in connection with the modification shown in Fig. at; and Fig. 7 is a side view of another modification of my invention, as will be hereinafter described. I j

Similar characters designate like parts in 'all the figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 designates a movable frame bifurcated at its upper end and adapted to receive between the arms or branches 10a thereof a block A, which is provided with a series of seats (numbered,respect-ively,11,11,

11b, and 11C) corresponding to different standard sizes of pipes and so arranged that the bottoms of said seats are practically equidistant from the center of said block, so that a pipe placed within a corresponding seat in the block A may be supported entirely free from the frame 10. In order to facilitate the adjustment of the block A to a pipe of any one of the several sizes shown in the drawings, I preferably support the said block on a stud 12, passing longitudinally and centrally through the same and secured thereto by means of a pin 13, said stud being pivotally held within the upper ends of the frame branches 10iL and having at one end a squared portion 12a, adapted to enter alike opening provided near the upper end of a fiat spring 14:, which is secured by a screw 14 to the above-mentioned frame 10. It will therefore be seen that the sprin g 14 serves to prevent the block A from turning, while at the same time it may be withdrawn from the squared portion 12 to permit rotation of said block for bringing the proper seat into working position.

The pipe I may be clamped within the corresponding seat by various means, the one preferably employed by me being illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and consisting, substantially, of two sections of chain 15 15, one at each side of the block A and adjacent thereto, one of saidsections being connected to a link 16, which is pivotally attached, as at 1S, to the ears 17, projecting from the block 17, and the other to av link 16', connected in a similar manner to the ears 17, while at the other ends the chain-sections 15 15 are pivoted to links 19 19', having a series of recesses 19, adapted to engage a stud 20, which is firmly held in the ears 17", projecting from said block 1'7 at the side thereof opposite the ears 171i. By the means just described an approximate ad j ustmen t may readily be had for the different sizes of pipe to be clamped, and the chain-sections will, on account of their flexibility', conform to the contour of the pipe, thus gripping the same at a number of points on the upper half of itsperiphery, while the lower half is snugly fitted within the seat of the block A. The chainsections will thus constitute the stationary IOO 4each side of and close to thc block A, I am enabled to grip the pipe without danger of bending or damaging the same, and in order to facilitate the manipulation of the chainsections and to cause the links 10 19 to engage the stud 2O simultaneously I preferably connect said links at their free ends by a pin 21, rigidly secured thereto, as shown in Fig. 2.

The clamping action of the jaws is caused by means of a screw 24, having its threaded portion in engagement with a nut in the block 17, above mentioned, and having at its upperend a reduced portion 22, (shown by dotted lines, Fig. 2,) entering and adapted to be rotated inlthe frame-bod y 10, and, furthermore, provided with a circumferential groove 22a for receiving a tangentially-arranged pin 23, whereby said screw 24 and frame 10 are held together. The clamping-screw 2e' is provided at its free end with a cross-bar or handle 24E', secured thereto by a pin 24 and by means of which said screw may be operated to either clamp or release the pipe P, as desired, and in order to give stability to and properly guide the frame 10 and to relieve undue strain 0n the reduced portion 22 of the screw when the wrench is in use guide-pins 25 25 are firmly secured in the frame-body 10 and may slide freely through corresponding apertures provided therefor in the block 17.

Means are employed for retaining the chainsections 15 15' in proper place and in proximity to the block A, said means being represented as ears 26 26', projecting from the frame branches 10a and located at the outside of the links 16 16', respectively.

In Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, a modication is shown wherein the fixed jaw is formed by one of a series of interchangeable half-bushings 27, each provided with a projecting pin 28,

lwhich is adapted to enter an aperture 29 in each of the jaw-arms 30, by which the bushing is prevented from slipping in its seat when the wrench is in use. The frame 10 is provided with Wings 31 in lieu of the guide-pins 25, above referred to, and is held in proper alinement with t-he screw 211 by screws fitting in slots or ways 33, while a further support is afforded to the frame by virtue of the shoulder-faces 34 resting in sliding contact with theinneredges of thejaw-arms 30, as is clearly shown in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 7 another modification is represented in which the fixed jaw is made in the universal V form and the employment of close-fitting bushings is obviated, this construction, however, being liable to injure the pipe, since the latter is backed at only two points of the upper half of its periphery.

It should be understood that many changes may be made without departing from my invention and that other means may be employed in lieu of the clamping-screw and yet remain within the purview thereof.

It is obvious that by removing the pin 13 from the stud 12 the seat-block A may be re- V moved and another one having seats of different sizes substituted therefor.

I-Iaving th us described my invention, I claim- 1. In a pipe-wrench, the combination, with a stationary jaw, of a movable jaw; a block provided with a seat for receiving a pipe carried by one of saidv jaws; guiding means at each side of the movable jaw, overlapping a part of the stationary jaw; and means vfor actuating the movable jaw.

2. In a pipe-wrench, the combination, with a stationary jaw and a movable jaw, of a rotatable block having a series of seats for receiving pipes of different sizes, said block being carried by one of the jaws; a projection having an angular portion carried by the block; and a device cooperating with said angular portion and adapted to retain the `block in the desired position.

4. In a pi'pe-wrench, t-he combination, with chains constituting a fixed jaw, of a block; links connecting said chains and block; a pin carried by' said block; notched links for adjustably connecting the chains with said pin; a movable jaw carrying a seat for the pipe; and a device carried by the block for adjusting said movable jaw.

5. In a pipe-wrench, the combination, with chains constituting a fixed jaw, of a threaded block; links pivoted to said chains and to said block; a pin carried by said block; notched links for adjustably connecting the chains with said pin; a movable jaw; a rotatable block having seats for receivingpipes of diiferent sizes carried by said movable jaw; and a screw threaded into the block and connected with said movable jaw.

G. In a pipe-wrench, the combination, with chains constituting a iixed jaw, of a threaded IOO IIO

block; links connecting said chains and said tilting a stationary jaw, of links connected connected, for adjusting' said movable jaw; to the rear ends of said chains; a block to and guide-pins attached to lhe movable jaw Io which said links are pivot-ed; notched links and passing through said block.

connected to the front ends of said chains; i 7 1 a pin in said block with which the notched WILLIAM X ANDLRMAN links engage; a movable jaw; a rotatablel Witnesses:

block journaled in said movable jaw; means, I XVM. H. BLODGETT,

carried by lhe blocks to which the chains are 1 HENRY BISSELL. 

